Code Blue: Life-threatening Methemoglobinemia
Most cases of acquired methemoglobinemia result from exposure to certain drugs or toxins. One of the more common and well-described causes in the literature is exposure to topical benzocaine during medical procedures. We present a case series of acute acquired methemoglobinemia from a food source th...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
eScholarship Publishing, University of California
2019-05-01
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| Series: | Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine |
| Online Access: | https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7xb835kj |
| _version_ | 1818038919745241088 |
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| author | José D. Ponce Ríos Rothsovann Yong Paul Calner |
| author_facet | José D. Ponce Ríos Rothsovann Yong Paul Calner |
| author_sort | José D. Ponce Ríos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Most cases of acquired methemoglobinemia result from exposure to certain drugs or toxins. One of the more common and well-described causes in the literature is exposure to topical benzocaine during medical procedures. We present a case series of acute acquired methemoglobinemia from a food source that has not been previously described in the literature: a dessert. Three patients, ages 5, 33, and 86 years, were brought to our emergency department by ambulance after becoming extremely ill from ingesting a dessert containing nitre powder at a family gathering. They all presented with hypotension, cyanosis, and hypoxia that was not responsive to oxygen administration. The adult patients had major improvement of symptoms after a single dose of methylene blue. In contrast, the 5-year-old child who had the worst symptoms minimally improved with administration of two doses of methylene blue requiring intensive care admission and transfer to a tertiary care center. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T07:50:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9c074eb048d54b2eb2d0b0b12eb9e528 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2474-252X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T07:50:23Z |
| publishDate | 2019-05-01 |
| publisher | eScholarship Publishing, University of California |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-9c074eb048d54b2eb2d0b0b12eb9e5282022-12-22T01:57:04ZengeScholarship Publishing, University of CaliforniaClinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine2474-252X2019-05-013210.5811/cpcem.2019.3.41794cpcem-03-95Code Blue: Life-threatening MethemoglobinemiaJosé D. Ponce Ríos0Rothsovann Yong1Paul Calner2Lowell General Hospital, Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Lowell, MassachusettsLowell General Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Lowell, MassachusettsLowell General Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Lowell, MassachusettsMost cases of acquired methemoglobinemia result from exposure to certain drugs or toxins. One of the more common and well-described causes in the literature is exposure to topical benzocaine during medical procedures. We present a case series of acute acquired methemoglobinemia from a food source that has not been previously described in the literature: a dessert. Three patients, ages 5, 33, and 86 years, were brought to our emergency department by ambulance after becoming extremely ill from ingesting a dessert containing nitre powder at a family gathering. They all presented with hypotension, cyanosis, and hypoxia that was not responsive to oxygen administration. The adult patients had major improvement of symptoms after a single dose of methylene blue. In contrast, the 5-year-old child who had the worst symptoms minimally improved with administration of two doses of methylene blue requiring intensive care admission and transfer to a tertiary care center.https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7xb835kj |
| spellingShingle | José D. Ponce Ríos Rothsovann Yong Paul Calner Code Blue: Life-threatening Methemoglobinemia Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine |
| title | Code Blue: Life-threatening Methemoglobinemia |
| title_full | Code Blue: Life-threatening Methemoglobinemia |
| title_fullStr | Code Blue: Life-threatening Methemoglobinemia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Code Blue: Life-threatening Methemoglobinemia |
| title_short | Code Blue: Life-threatening Methemoglobinemia |
| title_sort | code blue life threatening methemoglobinemia |
| url | https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7xb835kj |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT josedponcerios codebluelifethreateningmethemoglobinemia AT rothsovannyong codebluelifethreateningmethemoglobinemia AT paulcalner codebluelifethreateningmethemoglobinemia |